Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, data, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., bandwidth and transmit power). Such multiple-access systems may use various RATs, for example, code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE), and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communication system can simultaneously support communication for multiple wireless access terminals. Each access terminal communicates with one or more base stations, also called access points, via transmissions on the downlink and uplink. The downlink refers to the communication link from the base stations to the access terminals, and the uplink refers to the communication link from the access terminals to the base stations. This communication link may be established via a single-in-single-out, multiple-in-single-out or a multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) system. Each base station may service one or more cells providing wireless coverage over an area determined by characteristics of an antenna group for the cell and by changing conditions of the wireless system, including but not limited to interference from neighbor base stations or other radio conditions, and time-dependent wireless resource demand within the cell.
Mobile phone and data service to a particular access terminal may be provided by multiple cells with overlapping coverage areas, using multiple different RATs. The demand for wireless voice and data service in a particular geographic area may vary in a generally predictable or unpredictable fashion, in response to demand from individual users of the access terminals. It is desirable to manage these fluctuations in demand in an efficient manner, with or without overlapping coverage from base stations using different RATs.